-- oOo --
Location: Balyeon Continent, Solesce Country, Port city Calis
Date: January 1, 1940. 7:50 AM
In the bustling port city of Calis, ships resembling old ships-of-the-line rested side by side with merchant vessels, their sails and hulls swaying gently in the calm harbor. The air was thick with the smells of the sea, mixed with the scents of exotic spices and foreign goods brought in from distant lands. Port Calis served as a major trade hub for the Solesce country, a constitutional monarchy famed for its agricultural wealth. Merchants from across the world arrived here, their ships laden with crops, textiles, and all manner of wares, ready to trade in the markets of Solesce.
To the south, the Kingdom of Novaria stood as a rival nation, a distant yet looming threat. They also had the powerful backing of the Britannian Empire, a technologically superior and militarily dominant force located on a continent 700 kilometers away. Novaria purchased older technologies from Britannia, which gave it a dangerous advantage over Solesce, straining relations between the two nations as they vied for influence on the smaller Balyeon continent, a landmass smaller than half the size of Australia.
The streets of Port Calis were alive with the usual morning bustle. Narrow alleyways filled with stalls displayed a vibrant array of crops and foreign trinkets, while hawkers called out to potential buyers. Among the noise, a newspaper boy stood on a corner, his voice rising above the din as he waved a newspaper in the air.
"Latest edition! Novaria-Solesce tensions continue to escalate!" he shouts, trying to catch the attention of passersby.
His voice cut through the crowded street, but most people walked by without a second glance. Determined, he tried again, raising his voice. "Novaria-Solesce tensions are heating up!"
A tall young man, dressed in fine clothes that marked him as someone of higher standing, approached the boy. His presence commanded a quiet authority, and even in the chaos of the street, people gave him a respectful nod as he passed. The boy stiffened slightly as the man stopped in front of him.
"May I buy one?" the man asked in a calm, refined voice. "I haven’t been keeping up with the latest news."
The boy, eager for the sale, smiled brightly. "That’ll be 5 marks, sir," he said, holding out the newspaper.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Five marks?" He paused briefly, then reached into his pocket, producing the sum and handing it over. The boy took the coins with a nod of thanks and handed the newspaper over.
"Here you go," the boy said, handing the man the paper.
The man accepted it, straightening his posture. "Thank you," he said with a slight smile, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.
As the man walked, his interest in the newspaper grew. He unfolded the pages, scanning the headlines about the latest global developments. He read about the ongoing maneuverings of the greater nations, their ambitions often played out by exploiting smaller countries, their relations with each other strained by constant competition.
But it wasn’t until he reached the second page that his curiosity was truly piqued.
"A new country to the east?" he murmured to himself, leaning in closer to the paper.
The article detailed the sudden appearance of a mysterious nation off the eastern coast of the Machina continent, far across the sea. It was said that this new country had simply appeared, as if from nowhere, months ago. Though the article was vague, it hinted at the strange and potentially powerful nature of this new arrival, sparking intrigue but also a sense of uncertainty. Fortunately for Solesce, this mysterious nation was far from the Balyeon continent, and there was little reason for immediate concern.
"This is... unexpected," the man muttered as he turned the page.
His attention was soon drawn back to familiar matters rising tensions between Solesce and the Kingdom of Novaria, located to the south. The headline detailed how Novaria’s military strength, bolstered by Britannian technology and advisors, was emboldening the kingdom to push its influence further northward, bringing it into direct conflict with Solesce.
"That arrogant kingdom..." the man grumbled under his breath. He had visited Novaria before in his capacity as an ambassador and had been appalled by the arrogance of its people. The Novarian nobles were pompous, convinced of their superiority because of their connection to Britannia. Even the common folk shared this attitude, treating foreign diplomats with disdain. The memory of his visit left a sour taste in his mouth.
Having had enough, the man folded the newspaper neatly and slipped it into his pocket. His destination was clear he was headed for the Bureau of Diplomacy, where the latest developments in the political landscape of Solesce would no doubt be the main topic of discussion.
-- oOo --
8:10 AM
At the Bureau of Diplomacy, the mood was tense. The recent rise in tensions with Novaria had everyone on edge. Diplomats and clerks moved quickly through the halls, exchanging reports and information about the latest developments in both domestic and international affairs. The ambassador, still unsettled by the news he had read, made his way to his office, ready to delve deeper into the evolving crisis.
He passed through the fine halls of the Bureau, his thoughts returning to the mysterious new country off the coast of Machina. Could this new player on the global stage shift the balance of power?
He shook his head, focusing on the more immediate concern Novaria. That nation was becoming increasingly bold, and with the Britannian Empire behind them, they posed a real threat. Yet there was a growing sense within Solesce that their rival's arrogance might be their undoing.
As the ambassador settled into his office, he unfolded the newspaper once more, his thoughts racing. Solesce had its own resources and allies, but the geopolitical landscape was shifting rapidly.
-- oOo --
Miles from the Shores of Solesce
9:12 AM
High above the open ocean, a wyvern gracefully glided through the skies, its leathery wings beating steadily as it cut through the wind. This magnificent creature, used by the Solesce Kingdom’s Air Coast Guard, was a powerful weapon in its own right, capable of launching magical flame projectiles that made it an effective force in both aerial combat and ground support. Riding atop the wyvern was Masa, a young but seasoned coast guard member, who leaned casually against the saddle, his body swaying slightly with the creature’s movements. His posture was relaxed a testament to his skill and comfort in the air.
The sky was a vast expanse of pale blue, stretching endlessly in all directions. Masa stared up into the distance, his mind wandering. This was just another routine patrol, one of many he had flown. The coast guard in Solesce had two branches one for the air, where Masa served, and one for the sea. The kingdom, although far from modern, had developed its coast guard organization to fend off pirates and external threats, a decision born from necessity rather than ambition. In a time of rising tensions with neighboring nations like Novaria, having such a force was invaluable.
Yet, for Masa, today felt unusually quiet. Too quiet.
"This just can’t get any more boring, huh?" he muttered to himself, his voice drowned out by the rush of wind and the rhythmic flapping of his wyvern’s wings. The peaceful monotony of his shift felt unbreakable.
But then, without warning, his wyvern began to stir. The creature's head jerked up, its eyes scanning the skies, nostrils flaring as it let out a low snarl of unease.
"Whoa, easy girl," Masa whispered, gripping the reins a little tighter. "What’s wrong? What are you sensing?"
Wyverns were the fastest flying creatures in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour. They were hunters, their senses honed to track prey from miles away. And right now, something had caught the wyvern’s attention. Masa’s own unease started to creep in. "Something is nearby..." he muttered, scanning the skies for any sign of danger.
Suddenly, a strange sound reached his ears something faint but unfamiliar, a steady, rhythmic whirr that cut through the wind. Masa’s eyes widened. "What’s that sound?" he whispered, his heart picking up speed to match the rising tension in his chest. His wyvern, too, was clearly unsettled, its head swiveling from side to side.
Then, through the faint clouds above, he saw it. A strange object, light blue in color, cutting through the sky at an altitude higher than anything he had ever seen. It was enormous, with wings far larger than any wyvern or bird he had encountered.
"Wadduh..." Masa muttered, staring up at the strange object, his curiosity piqued. "What... is that?"
The object didn’t move like any creature he knew. Its wings didn’t flap.it was something else entirely. But whatever it was, it didn’t belong in the skies over Solesce. Masa pulled gently on the reins, urging his wyvern to turn toward the mysterious object. "Let’s get a closer look, shall we?"
The wyvern let out a low snarl of reluctance, its muscles tensing beneath Masa. It could sense that whatever this thing was, it wasn’t natural. But Masa, fueled by curiosity, pressed forward. "Come on, don’t be a chicken. We’re coast guards, remember? Let’s go!" He tugged the reins, and his wyvern reluctantly began to ascend.
As they flew closer, a thought hit Masa. Could this be another coast guard wyvern? But the color was off, wyverns weren’t painted blue, and this thing was far too large and structured. "This can’t be a wyvern. What the hell is it?" he muttered, pushing his mount to move faster.
The wyvern accelerated, picking up speed as they closed the distance. But the closer they got, the clearer the details became. The object had a wingspan unlike anything Masa had ever seen, and on each wing were two spinning contraptions that whirred at incredible speed, propelling the thing forward.
Masa was baffled. "It’s huge..." he whispered. His wyvern, although fast, struggled to keep up as the object steadily increased its speed. Then, through the glass windows at the front of the aircraft, he saw two silhouettes people, staring back at him from inside the cockpit. They had noticed him.
Suddenly, the aircraft roared to life, accelerating at an impossible rate. Masa gasped as the object surged ahead, its speed increasing beyond anything he could have imagined.
"What!?" he shouted, his heart racing. "It’s that fast? That’s... ridiculous!"
His grip tightened on the reins as he pushed his wyvern to its top speed of 250 kilometers per hour. But even at that speed, it was no match for the mysterious object. The aircraft shot ahead, leaving Masa and his wyvern trailing far behind.
"It can’t be that fast!" Masa muttered, disbelief etched across his face as he watched the object vanish into the distant skies, heading westward toward the horizon. His wyvern slowed, its snarl fading into an exhausted huff, while Masa stared after the disappearing object, his mind racing.
"That’s... absurd," he whispered to himself. Nothing in Solesce no wyvern, no ship could move like that. Whatever it was, it was from somewhere far beyond anything he understood.
The aircraft had disappeared, but the encounter left Masa with more questions than answers. He would have to report this to headquarters immediately this was something far beyond a routine coast guard patrol.
-- oOo --
Coast Guard Headquarters, Port Calis
10:02 AM
Masa landed his wyvern smoothly on the runway, the creature letting out a low rumble as it stretched its wings. He patted the wyvern’s flank before leading it to the feeding station, where handlers were waiting to attend to it. The morning air was crisp, but his mind was racing from the encounter he had just experienced on patrol. As he made his way to the headquarters, the details of the strange sight still played vividly in his thoughts.
Reaching the office door, he took a deep breath and entered quietly. Inside, the scene was surprisingly mundane—Commander Haku, his superior, was slumped over her desk, fast asleep. The sight of her made him hesitate. He blinked a few times, unsure if he had come at the wrong time.
"Uhm..." he muttered under his breath, considering turning back toward the door.
But before he could retreat, Haku jolted awake, sitting up with a start and rubbing her eyes. "What is it?" she asked, her voice heavy with the grogginess of having just woken up.
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Masa straightened up and cleared his throat, still feeling awkward. "So... I just got back from my patrol and, well... there's something strange going on to the west."
Commander Haku frowned, her brow furrowing as she sat up straighter. "What about the west?" she asked, her tone sharpening as she shook off her drowsiness.
Masa swallowed, then continued, gesturing slightly with his hands as he spoke. "While I was on patrol, I spotted an... aircraft. It wasn’t like anything we have. It came from our homeland to the east, heading west. It was painted white and blue, hard to see at first, but I caught it. I got closer with my wyvern, and—" He hesitated, glancing at her to gauge her reaction before continuing. "—I saw two people inside the aircraft, just... staring back at me."
Haku's eyes widened, now fully awake and alert. "An aircraft?" she repeated slowly, leaning forward. "White and blue paint, faster than a wyvern? Are you certain about what you saw, Masa?"
He nodded earnestly. "Yes, Commander. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. The speed—it was impossible. It flew right past us like we were standing still. The people inside, they didn’t seem... worried at all. Like they were just observing."
Commander Haku sat up straighter, all traces of fatigue gone from her face. "If it’s faster than a wyvern, then it’s not from our military," she said, more to herself than to Masa. Her expression turned serious. "We don’t have any technology that can match that kind of speed."
She leaned back in her chair, staring off into space for a moment before her thoughts clicked into place. "Aircraft like that... Could they be related to that new country near the Machina Coast?" she mused aloud, referencing the foreign nation that had recently come onto their radar—rumors of their advanced technologies had been circulating, but nothing had been confirmed.
Masa shrugged, his brow furrowing. "I don’t know, Commander. It could be. But I’ve never seen anything like it before. Should we alert the higher-ups? If there’s a foreign aircraft flying over our waters, we need to be prepared."
Haku considered his suggestion, rubbing her temple thoughtfully. "It’s a big claim, Masa. Without more evidence, I doubt they’ll take this seriously. And if we push this too hard, they might think we’re overreacting."
"But..." she added, leaning back in her chair and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "we should keep an eye on this. We’ll monitor the situation and wait for more sightings. If this happens again, then we’ll have something more concrete to bring to command."
Masa nodded, though his mind still swirled with the strange encounter. The speed, the strange aircraft, the eerie calm of the people inside—it felt too real to dismiss. But he knew Haku was right; they needed more evidence.
As the conversation settled into silence, he couldn’t help but notice Commander Haku more closely. Even in her serious, business-like demeanor, there was something about her... something he found hard to ignore. The way she tucked her hair back, the sharpness in her eyes, the effortless way she took control of any situation.
He realized he was staring a little too long and quickly averted his eyes, feeling his cheeks warm slightly. "Damn..." he muttered under his breath.
Haku, sharp as ever, caught his flustered expression and raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, her voice cutting through the room, her tone somewhere between curiosity and amusement.
Masa blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "N-nothing, Commander!" he stammered, quickly clearing his throat and trying to refocus.
Haku gave him a knowing smirk, her fatigue from earlier now completely forgotten. "Good. Stay focused, Masa. We’ve got work to do."
He nodded quickly, mentally kicking himself as he left the office. Even with the strange events of the day, the tension between him and Commander Haku was something else entirely.
-- oOo --
Hundreds of Kilometers from the Kingdom of Solesce
Date: January 8, 1940. 11:30
Inside the helicopter carrier Shimase, flagship of the Valkyrien 1st Fleet, Ambassador Iowa sat in his temporary office, the low hum of the ship’s engines a constant backdrop. The carrier was backed by several destroyers and missile cruisers, part of the Valkyrien force that had been dispatched to explore and establish contact with the new world. Iowa’s eyes were glued to the flickering screen in front of him, where the news from home was playing.
Things hadn't been stable since the transfer. The lack of oil had forced the Empire to impose heavy restrictions on fuel usage, while the cutoff of food imports had plunged them into a desperate situation. Rationing was now the law of the land, as the Empire struggled to avoid mass starvation and maintain stability. Finding a trade partner or a new food source had become the top priority, especially as tensions rose with each passing day.
Iowa shifted in his seat, letting out a small grumble as he sifted through a stack of photographs scattered across his desk. The images were taken by a reconnaissance plane about a week ago, a city in a potential civilization. The mission had been to scout potential civilizations in the east, flying high above the clouds, painted in blue to blend in and avoid detection. The reconnaissance plane had done its job, unseen by the people below.
That is, until something unexpected happened. As the plane was heading back, the pilot and co-pilot had spotted something flying alongside them a wyvern, with a person riding it, observing their every move. The encounter was brief, but it was enough to blow the cover of their high-altitude surveillance. The pilots had panicked and pushed the plane to its top speeds, fearing they might be shot down by them. The report that followed had been detailed and bizarre.
"Humans with pointy ears... It must be elves. Like in the movies" Iowa chuckled to himself as he looked at one of the photos. He flipped through more pictures and shook his head. "And... demi-humans? A dog with a human-like body... It's like a werewolf. This world just keeps getting weirder."
The pictures from the aircraft had a variety of races, some reminiscent of elves, others more fantastical dog-like humanoids, feline-like creatures. Demi-humans, as the reconnaissance crew had dubbed them. The discovery raised a number of questions for Iowa, but it also confirmed the diversity of this new world.
"It's kinda strange," Iowa muttered, setting down the photos. "A dog walking around like a human... I guess it’s not just the food and oil that’ll be different here."
Just then, the door to his office creaked open, and a warrant officer stepped inside. "Ambassador Iowa," the officer said with a salute, "Fleet Admiral Larkent is requesting your presence on the bridge."
Iowa sighed, rising from his chair and stretching. "Alright, let’s go," he said, following the officer out into the narrow corridors of the ship. The walk to the bridge was tight and claustrophobic, with the walls seeming to close in around them as they navigated the steel maze. The steady thrum of the ship's engine vibrated through the floor as they climbed toward the bridge.
Upon entering the command bridge, Iowa was greeted by the sight of officers at their stations, working with calm efficiency. In the center of the room, Fleet Admiral Larkent stood alongside Captain harlan, the ship’s commanding officer. Both men turned toward Iowa as he entered.
"Ah, Ambassador," Larkent said with a chuckle, his voice carrying a note of casual authority. "Glad you could make it so fast."
"We’ve been discussing how we should approach the city," Captain harlan added. "Given that we’re about to make first contact, we thought it best to get your opinion."
Iowa crossed his arms, considering their words. The weight of responsibility fell heavy on his shoulders. They were about to make contact with a civilization vastly different from their own. The Valkyrien Empire had the military power to assert itself, but they are in a situation that forced them to swallow their pride and make contact.
"I think," Iowa began, his voice thoughtful, "we should approach this situation with caution and diplomacy. The last thing we want is to come across as hostile. We’re in their waters, after all. If they perceive us as a threat, things could escalate quickly."
Larkent nodded slowly, his brow furrowing. "A peaceful approach makes sense, but just in case that they are hostile and may attack we can bring the fleet, we are in an entirely different world after all."
Iowa agreed but kept his focus on diplomacy. "remember, we’re here to secure resources, but we’re also here to establish relations. We can’t afford to turn potential allies/trade partner into enemies. Our presence in this world is still new, and we’re surrounded by unknowns. The goal should be to trade, to make contact, and, if possible, to secure a peaceful agreement. There’s no need to flex our military muscle unless we absolutely have to."
Captain Harlan folded his arms, nodding. "If we come in guns blazing, we’ll alienate the entire region. They may be behind us in terms of technology, but they know these lands better than we do. If they unite against us, we could be looking at a prolonged conflict."
Larkent turned to one of the officers at the helm. "What’s our distance to the city?"
"Sir, we’re about 30 kilometers out from the coast of the City," the officer responded, eyes scanning the radar. "No significant threats detected, but we’re picking up movement from smaller vessels in the port."
Larkent looked to Iowa once more. "Very well. We’ll proceed as planned. Ambassador, we’ll leave the initial contact to you and your team. You’ll represent our intentions to the local government. Just be aware."
Iowa gave a curt nod, feeling the weight of the task ahead. "I understand."
-- oOo --
Solesce Territorial Waters, Solesce Coast Guard Vessel
12:12 AM
Miles from the Valkyrien fleet, a single frigate a small ship of the line cut through the calm waters of the ocean. Its sails were fully unfurled, catching the breeze as it moved steadily at around 10 knots, slightly below its typical cruising speed of 15 knots.
High above, in the crow's nest, a sailor dressed in typical 18th-century naval attire lazily scanned the horizon. The day had been uneventful so far, with nothing but the vast expanse of sea in all directions. His boredom had settled in, his spyglass tucked into his belt, as the rhythmic creaking of the ship's timbers provided a steady backdrop.
But then something caught his eye. A tiny speck on the horizon.
"Wuh?" he muttered, instinctively reaching for his spyglass and raising it to his left eye. As he focused, the blurry shape began to take form. A large shadowy figure, accompanied by several smaller vessels, was moving steadily across the water in their direction. The size and formation were unlike anything he had seen in these waters.
"Well, that's not right..." he murmured to himself, lowering the spyglass briefly before looking again. He glanced down from his vantage point, his eyes settling on Captain Musou, who sat casually on the deck below, reading a book.
"Captain! There are unidentified ships heading our way from the western ocean!" the sailor called down, his voice loud but tinged with urgency.
Captain Musou, a seasoned officer with years of experience in the Solesce Coast Guard, looked up calmly, closing the book and placing it aside on the bench next to him. He was a man not easily rattled, known for his steady leadership and unflappable demeanor in times of crisis.
"Unidentified ships, you say?" he called back, standing and stretching his legs.
"Yes, Captain! Large ones, several of them!" the sailor in the crow's nest confirmed, his voice now sharper with concern.
Musou frowned slightly and pulled a magical radio device from his belt. The device, though designed to resemble a regular 18th-century communication tool, was enchanted to allow for real-time communication across distances an essential piece of equipment in the Solesce Coast Guard. Pressing the button, Musou spoke into the radio, his voice calm but deliberate.
"This is Captain Musou of the Solesce Coast Guard vessel Scavenger. We have sighted an unknown fleet heading towards Port Calis from the western ocean. We are preparing to investigate their intentions."
There was a brief moment of static before a voice crackled through the radio in response. "Captain Musou, this is Solesce Naval Command. Acknowledged. Investigate the unknown fleet and determine their intentions, affiliation, and destination. Maintain distance and report back with any developments. Over."
Musou clipped the radio back to his belt, his mind already working through the possibilities. The western ocean was not commonly traveled by Solesce's traditional trading partners, and the size of the fleet if his lookout's assessment was accurate was concerning. It was rare to see such large vessels from the lesser area, and if they were coming from there, it raised even more questions. Who were they, and what were their intentions?
"All hands on deck!" Musou shouted, his voice commanding immediate attention from the crew. The sailors, who had been going about their routine tasks, immediately rushed into action, climbing the rigging, checking the sails, and readying the ship for possible engagement.
As the crew assembled, Musou turned to his first mate, Helk. "Get the cannons ready, but keep them covered. We don’t want to provoke them unnecessarily. We’re here to investigate, not to start a fight."
"Aye, Captain," Helk responded with a nod. He motioned to the gunnery crew, who quickly began preparing the ship’s artillery, leaving the cannons hidden under tarps for the moment, but ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.
Musou then signaled the helmsman. "Bring us closer, but maintain a safe distance. I want to see who we’re dealing with."
--oOo --
Aboard the Valkyrien Fleet, Lead Destroyer Kuze
12:06 AM
In the lead destroyer of the Valkyrien fleet, the atmosphere was calm yet tense. The advanced systems of the Kuze had just detected an approaching vessel, one that was cruising at a moderate speed of about 15 kilometers per hour. It wasn’t fast, nor was it particularly threatening in size, but the fact that a ship from otherworlders was heading toward them meant that they were aware of their presence.
The communications operator aboard the Kuze immediately relayed the information to the flagship of the fleet, the helicopter carrier Shimase.
"Fleet Admiral! Destroyer Kuze has detected a vessel approaching our position," the operator reported. His voice carried a note of urgency as he continued. "It seems likely they’ve sent it to investigate us."
Larkent listened carefully, his brow furrowing slightly. He hadn't anticipated this at all which caught him off guard.
"What? But we are still miles off their coast." Larkent was confused.
He glanced at the tactical display, which showed the position of the approaching vessel relative to the Valkyrien fleet. It was a single frigate, small and outdated by Valkyrien standards, but still worth treating with caution.
"If that's the case, then let's prepare to meet them," he continued, his tone becoming more composed. "But also be prepared for any shenanigans they might pull off. We don't know their full capabilities yet."
The radio operator nodded and quickly returned to his station to carry out the admiral’s orders. As he did so, Admiral Larkent turned to Captain Harlan, who was standing nearby, overseeing the situation with a steely gaze.
For a moment, Larkent felt a strange mix of emotions. There was the unease of dealing with an unknown force in an unfamiliar world, but there was also excitement the thrill of first contact. These "otherworlders" were the native inhabitants of this strange new planet the Valkyrien Empire had been transported to.
"Captain Harlan," Larkent said, his voice quieter but still charged with anticipation, "this is it. We’re about to meet the locals."
"Yes, Admiral. Let’s hope it’s a peaceful encounter." Harlan replied.
Larkent’s lips twitched into a thin smile. "Peaceful or not, we’re ready. We’ve been preparing for this moment since we arrived here."
Aboard the Destroyer Kuze, the crew was also preparing for the upcoming encounter. The ship’s combat systems were already on standby, though no weapons had been armed. The radar operator kept a close watch on the approaching vessel, tracking its speed and heading.
The communications officer opened the radio channel, ready to hail the approaching ship as soon as they were in range. The goal, for now, was to gather information and gauge the intentions of the Solesce vessel.
"Captain," the officer said, looking up from his station. "The ship will be within communications range shortly."
"Understood," the captain of the Kuze replied. "Maintain current course, but keep the defenses on standby. Let’s see what they have to say before we make any sudden moves."
-- oOo --
1:00 PM
On the Solesce Coast Guard Vessel Scavenger, Captain Musou stood with his eyes fixed on the fleet growing larger on the horizon. The ships ahead were unlike anything he had ever seen. Their sleek grey hulls, angular designs, and the unsettling absence of sails or oars had an eerie, almost unnatural, quality to them. His instincts, honed over years at sea, told him that this was something beyond ordinary a force they couldn’t hope to match.
"That's one big ship, alright..." Musou muttered, his gaze fixed on the massive ship in the distance, which dominated the fleet. Even from this range, its sheer size was apparent.
The crew of the Scavenger shared their captain’s unease. They’d seen many ships in their time patrolling Solesce's waters, but this fleet was giving them a deep sense of unease a tension that only grew as the strange ships drew closer.
"Captain!" came an urgent shout from the crow’s nest. The lookout’s voice rang out with rising alarm. "Captain!! A small boat has been released from that flat-decked ship!"
Musou squinted into the distance, his heart racing as he spotted a smaller vessel, much smaller than the giant ships, moving toward them at an impossibly fast speed. His first mate, standing beside him, stared in shock, unable to comprehend what they were witnessing.
"Boats can’t move that fast... What is that thing?" the first mate gasped, his voice trailing off in disbelief as the small craft sliced through the water, leaving a trail of white foam in its wake.
Musou was equally baffled. He had seen ships powered by wind and muscle his entire life, but nothing like this. The small boat moved with a speed and precision that no rower or sail could match. Within moments, the strange vessel slowed and came to a stop near the port side of the Scavenger.
Musou and his crew, drawn by the sight, quickly gathered at the railing to get a better look at the unidentified boat. It was unlike any boat they had ever seen before. The people aboard the small vessel wore immaculate dark blue uniforms, their appearance neat and orderly a stark contrast to the more rugged, practical attire of the Solesce Coast Guard crew. Some of them held objects that closely resembled muskets, but these were sleeker, darker, and clearly far more advanced than anything Musou had ever encountered.
For a tense moment, no one spoke. Both crews stood in silent caution, watching each other closely, as if waiting for the other to make the first move. The air between them was thick with curiosity and suspicion, each side aware of the potential dangers of this meeting.
Finally, Captain Musou broke the silence, his voice firm but even. "This is Solesce territorial waters," he began. "You are currently trespassing, and it is our duty, as the Coast Guard, to protect these waters. We will ask for your affiliation, destination, and intentions while you are in these waters or near our homeland."
The people aboard the small vessel exchanged uneasy glances, clearly aware of the weight of Musou's words. After a brief moment, one of them, who seemed to be in command, spoke cautiously.
"We are the Valkyrien Maritime Army," the man said, his tone calm but measured. "We are on a diplomatic mission to your nation... Solesce."
Captain Musou’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. The name Valkyrien was entirely foreign to him. "Valkyrien?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. "I’ve never heard of such a name. Is this a newly formed country?"
One of the Valkyrien sailors shifted uncomfortably before responding. "Ah... yes and no. You see, we are new to this world, but our country is actually very old."
The explanation left Musou and his crew even more puzzled. The sailors on the Scavenger exchanged confused glances, muttering among themselves as they tried to make sense of what they had just heard.
"New to this world?" Musou echoed, his frown deepening as he struggled to grasp the meaning of their words. "What do you mean by that? Can you be more clear? I don’t understand."
The Valkyrien sailor took a deep breath, clearly aware that what he was about to say would be difficult to believe. "To be precise, our entire nation was abruptly transferred from our original world to this one. We don’t know how or why, but we have found ourselves in a place completely unfamiliar to us. Our trade routes have been severed, and now we face a severe food and oil crisis. We are here, in your waters, in hopes of establishing trade and relations with Solesce to resolve this crisis."
For a long, heavy moment, there was silence. Captain Musou and his crew stood there, trying to process the magnitude of what they had just been told. A nation from another world? Transferred into this one? It sounded like a tale from ancient folklore, not something that could be real in the present day.
Musou, however, was a practical man. He took a deep breath, letting the weight of the situation settle over him. There was something in the way these strangers spoke that felt genuine, even if their story was almost impossible to believe.
"I see..." Musou finally said, his voice slow and thoughtful as he considered his options. He glanced at his first mate and then back at the Valkyrien sailors. "If that’s the case, then very well. We can escort you to Port Calis, which is about 15 miles east from here."
The tension in the air seemed to ease slightly as Musou offered them passage. The Valkyrien sailors nodded in gratitude, clearly relieved that the situation was not escalating into conflict.
"Thank you, Captain," the Valkyrien commander said, visibly more relaxed. "We appreciate your understanding. We’ll follow your lead to the port."
Musou gave a curt nod before turning to his crew. "Prepare to guide them to the port," he ordered. "And keep a close watch on them. We still don’t know exactly who or what we’re dealing with."
As the Solesce frigate and the Valkyrien vessels began moving eastward toward Port Calis, Musou couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of curiosity and wariness. These strangers had come from another world, bringing with them advanced technology and a story that defied all known logic. But for now, their intentions seemed peaceful, and that was all that mattered.
Musou crossed his arms, his eyes drifting back to the horizon where the sleek Valkyrien ships followed their lead. His crew remained vigilant, watching the alien fleet with caution until after a some time the distant silhouette of Port Calis slowly came into view.
To be continued...